Seal for beverage coolers



1953 E. RABJOHN SEAL FOR BEVERAGE COOLERS Filed Jan. 15, 1951 ZSnventor, 140m 5 PABJOH/Y Patented Aug. 4, 1953 Lloyd E. Rabjohn, Glendale, Calif.

Application January 15, 1951, Serial No. 206,011

This invention relates to apparatus for cooling and dispensing beverages such as fruit juices,

and more particularly to such. apparatus that includes a bowlelike beverage receptacle and an elongated heat-exchanger projecting through an opening in the bottom of the receptacle; a general object of the invention being to provide means for so joining the receptacle and the heatexchanger that they can be readily separated for thorough cleaning, a more specific object being to provide improved means for sealing the junction between them.

For full understanding of the invention, and further appreciation of its objects and advantages, reference is to be had to the following detailed description and accompanying drawing, and to the appended claims.

In the drawing:

Figure l is a view, mainly in section, of a beverage cooling and dispensing apparatus embodying my invention; and

Figure 2 is a fragmentary sectional view of prior-art apparatus, shown only for the purpose of comparison.

Referring first to the prior-art arrangement shown in Fig. 2, the numeral II indicates a base from which a cylindrical heat-exchanger or cooler I2 projects. Closely encircling the lower end of cylinder I2 is an annular sealing member l3, of elastic material such as rubber, upon whose tapered side surface the open bottom end of a bowl-like beverage receptacle l4 rests. By this arrangement the weight of the receptacle and its contents maintains the receptacle in engagement with the sealing member, and that member in engagement with the cylinder, so that a liquidtight seal results. To clean the receptacle after it is emptied, it is simply lifted from the sealing member and removed from the apparatus.

The sealing member [3 should be removed for proper cleaning since the rubber-like material of which it is made retains deposits to a greater degree than do hard smooth-surfaced materials. Furthermore, if the sealing member is not removed, stale beverage will remain in the crevices between it and the cylinder. However, it is diflicult to remove the sealing member from the cylinder, which it obviously must fit relatively tightly, and it therefore frequently happens that a careless person will neglect to remove the sealing member, so that the apparatus becomes unsanitary.

To avoid the possibility of the sealing member being left on the heat-exchanger when the apparatus is cleaned, I provide an arrangement 5 Claims. (01. c2 142) wherein the sealing member is so attached to the receptacle that it must be removed therewith from the heat-exchanger.

This arrangement is shown in Fig. 1 wherein the numeral 15 indicates a base containing refrigerating apparatus (not shown) which may be of any conventional type capable of circulating a cooling medium through the interior of a cylindrical metallic heat-exchanger I6 projecting from the base. The cylinder I6 is secured at its bottom, as by welding, to a dish-like member I! mounted on an extension l8 of the base. Surrounding the cylinder is a bowl-like receptacle IQ, of material such as plastic, which rests on a cushioning ring 20 on the rim of dish I1; the ring having a channel in its underside for receiving the top margin of dish I! and also that of a skirt 2| resting on the base and encompassing the under-part of the dish. Dish l1, skirt 2] and ring 20 are formed to provide a recess for a pipe 22 threaded in an opening through a thickened portion of receptacle l9 and having a faucet 23 at its outer end for dispensing beverage from the receptacle; a portion of the cushioning ring being folded down around the recess, as indicated at 24. In the bottom of the dish is a drain pipe 25; and resting on top of the receptacle is a cover 26.

In the bottom of receptacle I9 is a circula opening, somewhat larger in diameter than cylinder [6, whose edge is indicated at 21. Sealing the space between the cylinder and the edge 21 is an annular member 28, of elastic material such as rubber and whose inner surface is grooved to increase its resilience and to provide a plurality of independent sealing fins 29 with air spaces therebetween. The outer edge of the sealing member is channeled relatively deeply to receive the marginal portion of the receptacle adjoining its edge 21 and therefor cannot be removed from the receptacle while the same is in its normal position around the cylinder, as shown.

It is to be observed that the support provided by dish I! and ring 20 limits the downward position of the receptacle to one wherein there is a space between the sealing member 28 and the dish, so that any matter which, through carelessness, might be allowed to collect on the dish would not contaminate the beverage in the receptacle.

To clean the apparatus, after the contents of the receptacle have been emptied, the receptacle, together with the sealing member, is simply withdrawn or raised from the cylinder, whereupon the sealing member can readily be detached from the receptacle for thorough cleaning. Any drippings from the cylinder, when the receptacle is removed, are received by dish H and drain therefrom through pipe 25.

The lower end of cylinder H3 is preferably slightly enlarged or tapered so as to ensure a tight normal fit for the sealing member and to facilitate movement of the receptacle assembly past the-.- upperi pant ot. the cylinder:

The heat-exchanger obviously mm have a cross-sectional shape other than circular, such as oval, or rectangular with rounded corners; the:- shape of the opening through thecbottnmrofitbe.

receptacle, and of the sealing member, thenbeing altered conformingly. Furthermore; the

heat-exchanger, instead of beingassociateiwith.

refrigerating apparatus, could b'e' simply "amontainer for ice or solid carbon dioxide.

The specific embodiment of my invention herein shown described isaobviously, susceptible of .modincationlwithont idenartingirom .the spirit of the invention, and.,I- .intend therefore tofloc limited only by .thescope of the appendedclaims.

I -claim-.as my invention:

.1. In an apparatus ior-,.conling .andsdispensin beverages: abase; ,meansior cooling the. .bev .erage comprising, an elongated .heataexchanger projectin 1 upward J from said, base; .a: removable bowl-like. receptacle surrounding .said healtexchangerso that there is. :a continuous space therebetween for the heveragesaid receptacle havinglan opening. throngh-sits-xhottom somewhat larger llhan$hfl heataexchanger sathatthe neceptacle-can be removed .-i.or. .clean-ing. bylifting it fromflhemst ofthe:apparatus-. and vsubsequently replaced by lowering; ittaroand; the.-;heat.- exchanger; means ;rx1Qiccting-,.-f-rom said base for supporting therreceptaclerand limitinglthmlowcn -of.-.,the iaeceptacle aroundmhe/heateexchanger; a member of elastic material attacked .to-the receptacle (and; sealing, thespace; between the heateexchanger and. theedge of. said: opening when the receptaelei-is; in .-its-..su1a,pantfid position, said member. having; a sliding fit. with the heatexchanger; and meansrfon preventing removalfof saidssealing' member from. the reecntacle: until the receptacle, together with theamemben; isvont cfiengagemenst wirl-ntheWheat"enchaneer.

.2. The. combination defined lint-claim. :;:9nd wherein the imeansstori preventing saidtnemonal of the :sealingmemher comprises portions-f the .member forming, amhannelior. receiving mar- 4 ginal portions of the receptacle adjoining said opening.

3. The combination defined in claim 1, and including dish-like means, mounted on said base and spaced below the bottom of said receptacle when the same is in said supported position, for receiving drippings from the heat-exchanger when the receptacle is removed.

4. In an apparatus for cooling and dispensing beverages: means for cooling ithe baverage comprising avertica ly elongated-tieat exchanger; a removable bowl-like receptacle surrounding said "heat-exchanger so that there is a continuous .spacetherebetween for the beverage, said receptacle having an opening through its bottom zsomewhatqwlarger than the heat-exchanger; and

.a member of rubber-like elastic material sealing the space between-the heat-exchanger and the edgeanzfg said opening, said member having portions forming a channel receiving and overlappingmarginalpcrtions of the hottomof thQ-recentacle adjoining said opening so tha'tremoyal otthe member from the receptacle.Iis ..prevented mdiile thereceptacle .is v.norma'l, positionaround thev heatexchangerg said membe1'..11aving,a,slilns fit with. the heatrexchan er. so,. that.the,r,e,- ceptacle, together ndththe member canpbe re.- movedior cleaning. by. lifting it. away. i-rQm,.t1.1e heat-exchanger andv subsequently .replacedby lowering. it. to -.-sai,d v normal position; said mam-,- her. being deiormable to permit its removal-horn the receptacle only when the, recentacle and member are removed from, .thebeatwQmhw-k iorcleaning.

'5. The .combinationdefined in, cla.'im.- Land wherein said heateexchangeris.cylin dricahlsaid opening in the bottom .of the-receptacle-is rcircular, and said sealing memberjaannular,

moans,

References Gitedinlthe file of this patent UNITE-D. fiTk-TES EDS 1 Number Name Date era-e51 'Klinefelter Mar. 4-, were 848,228 Ette1 ame, 1 90.7 meeogme Hagg Feb, 21,1928 "integers Abrams Apr. 4 i931 wraoor Cullenper, 9,; ma l 'zpeaeve LagOmaI'S lIID fl Feb.f2; 1987 2, 76,373 Merckel May 22, .1945 25045916 Zolot A r; '18, r950 

